1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to spouts, caps, and other similar devices for controlling a flow of a fluid from a container. More particularly, the present invention concerns a device for selectively controlling a flow of a fluid, including a high-viscosity fluid, such as, for example, engine oil, from a relatively large capacity container, such as, for example, a five quart container, wherein the device has a lower port configuration which substantially reduces vacuum or xe2x80x9cgluggingxe2x80x9d effects, thereby allowing for rapid fluid transfer through a relatively narrow exit opening.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is often desirable to store a high-viscosity fluid in a large capacity container. It will be appreciated, for example, that engine oil is more efficiently packaged, sold, and transported in five quart containers, particularly given that a typical vehicle engine holds approximately five quarts of engine oil.
It is also often desirable, however, to be able to exercise a selectively variable range of control over the flow of the fluid out of the container. Devices are well known in the art that allow for flow control using a variety of control mechanisms, including, for example, movable blockages or valves or other alignable members. Many of these prior art devices, however, are undesirably integral to and non-separable from the container. Thus, the device must be discarded with the container and cannot be reused, which substantially increases manufacturing and purchasing costs. Furthermore, even where the device is separable from the container, the device typically has no mechanism for accommodating differently configured containers, and is therefore undesirably restricted to use with only a limited number of types or brands of containers.
Additionally, it is often desirable to transfer the fluid out of the container as rapidly as possible. While all prior art devices have an associated maximum rate of fluid transfer, a rapid outpouring of fluid can give rise to a vacuum inside the container which slows or opposes any further transfer of the fluid. When this happens, the flow of the fluid is typically partly or wholly interrupted by a xe2x80x9cglugxe2x80x9d wherein air is quickly sucked into the container to fill the vacuum and allow the fluid to flow again until the next glug. This repetitive interruption of the flow decreases the maximum rate at which the fluid can be transferred.
One known way of minimizing the glugging effect is to make the device""s opening larger, thereby either allowing for simultaneous transfer of fluid out of the container and air into the container, or for maximizing the amount of fluid transferred between glugs. Unfortunately, where the fluid is being transferred into a relatively narrow opening, such as an engine oil fill port, aligning this narrow opening with the device""s relatively large opening can be difficult to achieve and maintain, particularly considering the substantial size and weight of a full five quart container, thereby potentially resulting in substantial fluid spillage.
Due to these and other problems and disadvantages in the prior art, an improved flow control device is needed.
The present invention represents a distinct advance in the art of flow control devices. More particularly, the present invention provides a device for selectively controlling a flow of a fluid, including a high-viscosity fluid, such as, for example, engine oil, from a relatively large capacity container, such as, for example, a five quart container, wherein the device has a lower port configuration operable to substantially reduce glugging effects, thereby allowing for a maximized rate of fluid transfer through a relatively narrow exit opening.
In a preferred embodiment the device broadly comprises an adapter; a body; and a cover. The adaptor adapts the device for use with a number of common brands of five quart engine oil containers. The adapter is detachable from the remainder of the device so as to allow for use of the device without the adapter, or for replacement of the adapter with an otherwise identical adapter which is more suitable for use with a particular type or brand of container.
The body cooperates with the cover to control the flow of fluid from the container. A lower cylindrical portion of the body extends into the container and is operable to receive the fluid into the body. A bottom portion of the lower cylinder tapers slightly and is closed. The lower cylinder presents a plurality of ports in the side wall of the cylinder near the bottom portion.
The cover cooperates with the body to control the flow of the fluid from the container. An inner cylindrical portion of the cover provides a conduit through which the fluid can flow to exit the device. A bottom portion of the inner cylinder tapers but is otherwise substantially open. The tapered portion facilitates seating and sealing the bottom portion of the cover against the bottom portion of the lower cylinder of the body.
Rotation of the cover on the body causes the cover to move up or down relative to the body. At a first extreme of such movement, the bottom portion of the inner cylinder of the cover is seated and sealed against the closed bottom portion of the lower cylinder of the body, thereby completely covering or blocking the ports and allowing no fluid to enter the cover. At a second extreme of movement, the bottom portion of the of the inner cylinder of the cover is maximally separated from the closed bottom portion of the lower cylinder of the body, thereby exposing the ports to a maximum degree and allowing a maximum amount of fluid to enter the cover. At any point between these two extremes, the ports are partially exposed, thereby allowing only a correspondingly diminished amount of fluid flow therethrough.
It will be appreciated that the device provides numerous advantages over otherwise similar prior art devices. Because the ports are located low on the device and extend into the container, for example, vacuum effects are reduced when pouring from the otherwise airtight container, thereby increasing flow volume and reducing glugging effects. Furthermore, because the glugging effect is reduced without dependence on the size of the device""s opening, the opening can be made small enough to allow for convenient alignment with and pouring into a relatively small port, such as, for example, an engine oil fill port. These advantageous features cooperate to empty the entire contents of a typical five quart engine oil container in approximately one minute and twenty seconds, which is substantially faster than the prior art devices.
These and other important aspects of the present invention are more fully described in the section entitled DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT, below.